Let me begin by telling you that words like 'natural' and 'home remedy' always grab my attention. This makes my fascination for Ayurveda perfectly understandable.
The Ayurvedic science of medicine dates back to 5000 years with roots in India and is based on the concept of holistic healing. And so, when someone suggested oil pulling for whiter teeth, detoxification and curing cold, I wasn't surprised but eager to know more.
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For those unfamiliar with oil pulling, it involves swishing a kind of edible oil in your mouth for a couple of minutes and then spitting it out. This ancient cleansing method is known to remove bacteria and microorganisms and in the process helps in detoxifying your body's lymph nodes and glands.
"Oil pulling is a part of the Ayurvedic dental care regime that includes several other practices. The dincharya or everyday routine starts with using Datun from the tree bark to clean your teeth similar to brushing, followed by Jivaha Nirlekhan which means cleaning your tongue, then oil pulling and finally Dhumpan in which the gum from herbal plants like Guggulu and Shirish is burnt and the steam is inhaled for internal purification. In traditional Ayurveda, these were used to treat the imbalance of various doshas," explains Dr. Ashutosh Gautam, Clinical Operations and Coordination Manager at Baidyanath.
In Ayurvedic practice, oil pulling can be performed in two ways. Ghandusha is where you keep the oil in your mouth for two to three minutes and then you spit it out.
In the other method called Kaval Graha, the oil is gently revolved around in the mouth for 15 to 20 minutes till it becomes thin and whitish in colour and then expelled.
The teeth, gums and tongue are rinsed with salt water. This can be followed by brushing and flossing as you normally would. The oil is never swallowed.
The best time to perform it is in the morning before breakfast. It is to be practiced an empty stomach, one to three times in a day.
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Source: NDTV
